second hand books and me

Me and my second hand books
When did I buy the first book on footpath?
It was donkey years ago. When I was in Hassan, I used to come to Bangalore on dasara and summer holidays.
Then the buses from majestic were passing through KG.Road. Walking through areas akin to Mysore bank, Balepet, Upparpet police station, and avenue road was a feast both for the eyes and to the intellect.
Vision of India was the first book that I purchased in front of Upparpet police station. It was way back in1992.That was a pocket book, was published by Jaico, Mumbai. The not so bright yellow colored cover and smiling Buddha attracted me. I found my Buddha in the middle of the traffic, the crowd and the other foot path sales like chappals, clothes and banana. After much bargain I became the owner reader of the book by paying 2 Rs.

Since then lot of water has flodded through the gutters of Bangalore. I have purchased not less than 500 books from these foot paths on various subjects like cricket, poems, novels and yoga. But how can I not remember my first book authored by Sisirkumar mitra which showed me the strength and down fall of my motherland over 5000 years? Thyerefore the first book enjoyed all my care and love. Till recently it was with me and somewhere in March 2006 I disposed more than 600 books from my collection.